Spring can sealer



July 30, 1963 e. CALLEGARI 3,099,353

SPRING CAN SEALER Filed Aug. 16, 1962 YIIIIIII/AJIlI/I/ INVENTOR.

LOUISE- CALLEGARI fiice 3,099,363 SPRING CAN SEALER Louis G. (Iallegari,34l6 45th St., Long Island City, N.Y. Filed Aug. 16, 1962, Ser. No.217,484 10 Claims. (Cl. 220-24) The present invention relates geneallyto closure devices and more particularly to a novel re-usable closuredevice for sealing a generally triangular aperture formed in the top ofa can.

The closure device is especially adapted for use in sealing thegenerally triangular aperture or opening for-med in a can by a metal canopener having a tapered, bent prong. This type of can opener punches agenerally triangular opening by cutting away a portion of the top of thecan and turning this cut-away portion downwardly into the can so thatthe opening functions for pouring liquid from the can when the can isheld in pouring position.

Since the opening produced by such a can opener has a smooth rolled-downedge and two angularly disposed raw edges, it is difficult to close withconventional can sealing devices. Frequently it is desired to use only aportion of the contents of a can at any one time. The remainder of thecontents, which may be a beverage such as beer, carbonated soft drink,fruit juice and the like, must be kept under hermetic pressure seal toprotect the remainder of the contents from spoilage.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a reuseable closuredevice which is retained in an opening in a can under spring tension, toresist gas pressure inside the can.

A further object is to provide a removable and reusable closure for anirregularly shaped opening in the top of a can.

Another object is to provide a can closure device which engages edges ofan opening in the can under spring tension to hold the closure inhermetic sealing engagement over the opening.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closure device shown mounted on thetop of a can and closing an opening there- FIG. 2 is a top plan view ona reduced scale of the closure device and part of thecan, of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 3-3 ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the closure device per se.

FIG. 6 is another side elevational view of the closure device, taken 90from the veiw of FIG. 5, as indicated by line 66- of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the diaphragm showing themanipulative arms extending therethrough.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the body of the sealingdevice.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing another form of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1-6, a closure device10 including a pair 'of coplanar straight flat sectional arms 12, 14,including upper sections 12a and 14a and lower sections 12b and 14b. Thebottom ends of the upper sections are formed with enlarged sockets 15frictionally receiving the top ends of bottom sections 12b and 14b. Thearms are integrally secured at their lower ends to upper ends of a coilspring 16. The spring coil is turned counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS.4 and 5. The inner turn 19 of the coil is engaged in a notch 20 formedin the lower end of a bar 22. The upper sections 14a of the upper endsof the arms are formed with enlarged flat, opposing heads 24 whichfacilitate manipulation of the device.

The device includes a fiat body 25 including an upper rigid plasticplate 26. Secured to the underside of plate 26 is an elastic diaphragm28, and secured to the underside of diaphragm 28 is a resilient pad 31The pad and diaphragm may be made of natural or artificial rubber orplastic. The plate 26 has an elongated rectangular shaped closed opening34 at the center thereof. Pad 30 has a central hole 33 which registerswith but is closed off from the opening 34 in plate 26 by the diaphragm28. Bar 22 passes through and has a force fit in a central sleeved hole40 in the diaphragm. At its top, the bar is formed wth a cross piece 31extending across the opening34 in plate 26 with its ends embedded in thematerial of the plate. The lower sections 12b and 14b of arms 12, 14pass through and have a force fit in sleeved holes 42 and 44 spaced fromthe central hole 40. In addition to having a force fit through thesleeved holes, the lower sections might be sealed therein by cement oradhesive. The arms 12 and 14 are held in a plane perpendicular to theplane of body 25.

The coil spring 16 biases the arms 12, 14 apart so that they normallyassume the divergent position shown in the drawing. The arms can bepressed inwardly toward each other against the outward bias in spring16. When this is done, the diaphragm 28 yields elastically keeping theholes 40, 42, 44, sealed as the arms move as indicated by arrows A inFIG. 4. A U-shaped spring 50 may be provided to supplement the spring16. Spring 50 has its b ight passing through a hole 52 formed in bar 22.Free ends 54 of the spring 50 are engaged in recesses 55 formed inopposing inner sides of the arms 12, 14.

On outer side of the lower sections 14b of arms 12, 14 there are formedserrations or teeth 56. These teeth engage the raw opposing edges 60 ofa triangular opening 62 formed in the circular top 64 of the can Can 70as shown in FIGS. 14 has a circumferential annular bead 72 at the upperend of its cylindrical wall 75. When the opening 62 is formed by a canopener a triangular portion 76 is cut from the top and bent downwardlyinto the can leaving a circumferential ledge 78 and two angularlydisposed raw edges 60. The resilient pad 30 is pressed into thetriangular opening sealing the same. The serrated outer sides of thearms 12, 114 are held in engagement with edges 60 of the hole 62 by thecooperating springs 16 and 5t which bias the arms apart. The can remainssealed and resists displacement even though there may be considerablegas pressure in the can tending to push the closure device outwardly ofthe opening.

The body 25 has a rear or outer edge 25a which has a circular curvatureto correspond to the internal curvature of annular bead 72. The body 25has a front or inner edge 25b which is circularly curved with a smallerradius of curvature than that of edge 25a. The maximum diameter of body25 is longer than the maximum dimension of opening 62 so that the body25 effectively closes the opening and overlaps the top of the can allaround the opening. The abutment of the edge 25a to the inner side 72'of bead 72 serves to prevent radial displacement of the device on thecan and the engagement of the arms 12, 14 with the edges of the openingprevent circumferential displacement of the device. The extension of pad30 into the opening insures a hermetic seal which is maintained by thesleeves around at the openings 40, 42 and 44.

The closure device is easily removed from the can by manually pressingthe heads 24 toward each other to disengage the serrated outer sides ofthe arms from the edges 66 of the can opening 62.

If desired the spring 50 may be omitted as shown in closure device a inFIG. 9. Closure device 1% is substantially the same as device 10 andcorresponding parts are identically numbered.

The closure devices described make it possible to keep a beverage freshand sparkling longer than is possible with other can sealers heretoforeknown. The devices are re-usable over and over. They are easily cleanedand can be economically manufactured by well known metal and plasticworking machinery.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A closure device for a generally triangular opening in a fiat top ofa can with an annular bead, comprising a flat body including an upperrigid layer, a lower resilient layer, and an elastic diaphragm disposedbetween the upper and lower layers, said layers having aligned openingstherein separated by said diaphragm, and a spring having a pair ofsectional arms extending through said openings in the layers and throughspaced holes in said diaphragm, said arms being biased apart indivergent directions and movable toward each other against bias in saidspring, said arms having serrations formed in outer sides for engagingopposing edges of said opening.

2. A closure device for a generally triangular opening in a flat top ofa can with an annular bead, comprising a flat body including an upperrigid layer, a lower resilient layer, and an elastic diaphragm disposedbetween the upper and lower layers, said layers having aligned openingstherein separated by said diaphragm, a coil spring having a pair ofsectional arms extending through said openings in the layers and throughspaced holes in said diaphragm, said arms being biased apart by the coilspring and movable toward each other against bias in said spring, and abar secured at one end to said body and passing through said diaphragm,the coil of said spring being secured to the other end of said bar, saidarms having serrations formed in outer sides thereof for engagingopposing edges of said opening, said diaphragm gripping the arms and barunder tension and elastically stretching when the arms are moved.

3. A closure device for a generally triangular opening in a flat top ofa can with an annular bead, comprising a flat body including an upperrigid layer, a lower resilient layer, and an elastic diaphragm disposedbetween the upper and lower layers, said layers having aligned openingstherein separated by said diaphragm, a coil spring having a pair ofsectional arms extending through said openings in the layers and throughspaced holes in said diaphragm, said arms being biased apart by the coilspring and movable toward each other against bias in said spring, a barsecured at one end to said body and passing through said diaphragm, thecoil of said spring being secured to the other end of said bar, saidarms having serrations formed in outer sides thereof for engagingopposing edges of said opening, said diaphragm gripping the arms and barunder tension and elastically stretching when the arms are moved, and aU -shaped spring having a bight engaged with said other end of the barand having ends engaged with said arms to supplement the bias of thecoil spring in urging the arms apart.

4. A closure for a generally triangular opening in a flat top of a canwith an annular bead, comprising a flat body including an upper rigidlayer, a lower resilient layer, and an elastic diaphragm disposedbetween the upper and lower layers, said layers having aligned openingsthereinseparated by said diaphragm, and a spring having a pair ofsectional arms extending through said openings in the layers and throughspaced holes in said diaphragm, said arms being biased apart indivergent directions and movable toward each other against bias in saidspring, said arms having serrations formed in outer sides for engagingopposing edges of said opening, said body having an outer edge portionconforming in curvature with the curvature of the bead for abutting thebead when said body is seated on the top of the can over said opening,said body having a curved inner edge portion larger in maximum diameterthan the maximum dimension of said opening, so that the body overlapsthe top of the can at all edges of the opening while the resilient layerenters and is held within said opening.

5. A closure device for a generally triangular opening in a flat top ofa can with an annular bead, comprising a flat body including an upperrigid layer, a lower resilient layer, and an elastic diaphragm disposedbetween the upper and lower layers, said layers having aligned openingstherein separated by said diaphragm, a coil spring having a pair ofsectional arms extending through said openings in the layers and throughspaced holes in said diaphragm, said arms being biased apart by the coilspring and movable toward each other against bias in said spring, and abar secured at one end to said body and passing through said diaphragm,the coil of said spring being secured to the other end of said bar, saidarms having serrations formed in outer sides thereof for engagingopposing edges of said opening, said diaphragm gripping the arms and barunder tension and elastically stretching when the arms are moved, saidbody having an outer edge portion conforming in curvature with thecurvature of the bead for abutting the bead when said body is seated onthe top of the can over said opening, said body having a curved inneredge portion larger in maximum diameter than the maximum dimension ofsaid opening, so that the body overlaps the top of the can at all edgesof the opening while the resilient layer enters and is held within saidopening.

6. A closure device for a generally triangular opening in a fiat top ofa can with an annular bead, comprising a fiat body including an upperrigid layer, a lower resilient layer, and an elastic diaphragm disposedbetween the upper and lower layers, said layers having aligned openingstherein separated by said diaphragm, a coil spring having a pair ofsectional arms extending through said openings in the layers and throughspaced sleeved holes in said diaphragm, said arms being biased apart bythe coil spring and movable toward each other against bias in saidspring, a bar secured at one end to said body and passing through saiddiaphragm, the coil of said spring being secured to the other end ofsaid bar, said arms having serrations formed in outer sides thereof forengaging opposing edges of said opening, said diaphragm gripping thearms and bar under tensison and elastically stretching when the arms aremoved, and a U-shaped spring having a bight engaged with said other endof the bar and having ends engaged with said arms to supplement the biasof the coil spring in urging the arms apart, said body having an outeredge portion conforming in curvature with the curvature of the bead forabutting the bead when said body is seated on the top of the can oversaid opening, said body having a curved inner edge portion larger inmaximum diameter than the maximum dimension of said opening, so that thebody overlaps the top of the can at all edges of the opening while theresilient layer enters and is held within said opening.

7. A closure device for a generally triangular opening formed in the topof a can having an annular bead, comprising a flat body having upper andlower layers and an elastic diaphragm secured between the layers, a pairof sectional arms secured together at one end and extending throughaligned holes in said layers and diaphragm.

said diaphragm having sleeved around the holes through gripping the armsand elastically sealing the holes thereat, said diaphragm elasticallyyielding to permit movements of the arms toward and away from each otherwhile pivoting at said one end, and spring means biasing the arms apartin normal divergent directions, said arms having outer serrated sidesfor gripping edges of said opening.

8. A closure device for a generally triangular opening formed in the topof a can having an annular bead, comprising a flat body having upper andlower layers and an elastic diaphragm secured between the layers, a pairof sectional arms secured together at one end and extending throughaligned holes in said layers and diaphragm, said diaphragm havingsleeves around the holes therein gripping the arms and elasticallysealing the holes thereat, said diaphragm elastically yielding to permitmovements of the arms toward and away from each other while pivoting atsaid one end, and spring means biasing the arms apart in normaldivergent directions, said arms having outer serrated sides for grippingedges of said opening, said body having an outer edge conforming incurvature to the head for abutting the bead when the body is seated ontop of the can over said opening, said body being larger than saidopening so that the body overlaps the top of the can at all edges of theopening.

9. A closure device for a generally triangular opening formed in the topof a can having an annular bead, comprising a flat body having upper andlower layers and an elastic diaphragm secured between the layers, a pairof sectional arms secured together at one end and extending throughaligned holes in said layers and diaphragm, said diaphragm sleevesaround the holes therein gripping the arms and elastically sealing theholes thereat, said diaphragm elastically yielding to permit movementsof the arms toward and away from each other while pivoting at said oneend, spring means biasing the arms apart in normal divergent directions,said arms having outer serrated sides for gripping edges of saidopening, said lower layer being resilient to enter the opening and toseal the edges thereof when the body is seated on the top of the can.

10. A closure device for a generally triangular opening formed in thetop of a can having an annular bead, comprising a flat body having upperand lower layers and an elastic diaphragm secured between the layers, apair of sectional arms secured together at one end and extending throughaligned holes in said layers and diaphragm, said diaphragm havingsleeves around the holes therein gripping the arms and elasticallyyielding to permit movements of the arms toward and away from each otherwhile pivoting at said one end, spring means biasing the arms apart innormal divergent directions, said arms having outer serrated sides forgripping edges of said opening, said lower layer being resilient toenter the opening and to seal the edges thereof when the body is seatedon the top of the can, said upper layer being a rigid plate, andconnecting means engaged between said plate and said one end of the armsto secure the arms pivotally in a plane perpendicular to said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS584,451 Bear June '15, 1897 2,776,778 Valvano Jan. 8, 1957 2,859,894Brenner Nov. 11, 1958 3,019,950 Callegari Feb. 6-, 1962

1. A CLOSURE DEVICE FOR A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR OPENING IN A FLAT TOP OFA CAN WITH AN ANNULAR BEAD, COMPRISING A FLAT BODY INCLUDING AN UPPERRIGID LAYER, A LOWER RESILIENT LAYER, AND AN ELASTIC DIAPHRAGM DISPOSEDBETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER LAYERS, SAID LAYERS HAVING ALIGNED OPENINGSTHEREIN SEPARATED BY SAID DIAPHRAGM, AND A SPRING HAVING A PAIR OFSECTIONAL ARMS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN THE LAYERS AND THROUGHSPACED HOLES IN SAID DIAPHRAGM, SAID ARMS BEING BIASED APART INDIVERGENT DIRECTIONS AND MOVABLE TOWARD EACH OTHER AGAINST BIAS IN SAIDSPRING, SAID ARMS HAVING SERRATIONS FORMED IN OUTER SIDES FOR ENGAGINGOPPOSING EDGES OF SAID OPENINGS.